‘I never wanted to be a photographer’: Rohan Shrestha

Rohan Shrestha is a name that certainly needs no introduction. The photographer’s lens has captured more cinema greats than one could possibly count, the likes of Shahrukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Kangana Ranaut, Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt, Kalki Koechlin, and more. In an exclusive interview with us, Rohan gets candid about his journey as a photographer, and why he never wanted to chase down this path to begin with!

Contrary to popular belief, Shrestha wanted to be anything but a photographer because he found it unnerving to live up to a certain name and standard, that name being his father Rakesh Shrestha. Rakesh is a legendary Bollywood photographer who has photographed nearly all the big names of his time. “It’s scary for a kid who’s just 18 years old. You don’t necessarily want to be your dad’s son because you want to create your own identity. I tried becoming a pilot, and I even tried football”, he laughs. He dabbled in multiple things beyond photography until one day he decided to try his hand at photography. He began by working with his dad and eventually, developed a liking for it through the years.

However, the challenge for him arose with a comparison to his father, by a number of senior actors who’ve worked with the ‘Shrestha style’. Nevertheless, assisting his father was a learning experience for him, considering that he had no formal education in the field. Later on, he took up a course in filmmaking which also taught him a lot more because of the many teachers he learnt from, who offered different perspectives. “I realised the importance of education because it gives us a certain amount of inspiration and drive. A couple of years ago I was still taking courses around the world, trying to enhance my knowledge,” he says.

Rohan maintains that success in the industry comes largely through patience, considering how competitive the market is. “You also have to trust your instincts as a photographer, it’s about that one time freeze in a moment for a picture to really be memorable, and this only happens with time and experience,” says Rohan.

From being reluctant to even pick up the camera, today he is one of the most talented photographers Bollywood has ever had. And the beauty about being a photographer? No two days are the same! If he isn’t shooting one of your favourite superstars, he’s in the studio, or hanging out with a couple of friends playing FIFA. Rohan also spoke to us about the challenges he’d faced, his memorable shoots, and his advice to aspiring photographers; find out what he had to say –